Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: ELECTRIC

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employmnent and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to the hazard of dust explosions during wood fiber and wood flour production and processing: : a)The employer failed to provide adequate explosion venting and explosion suppression equipment throughout System 1 equipment (e.g., hammermills, surge tank, Great Western sifter, product conveyors and cyclones). This design practice is described in 2002 NFPA Standard 664, Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities. During the explosion on 10/14/05, the product conveying duct work separated from the sizing cyclones and the T2 surge tank split open. b)The employer failed to provide explosion venting or alternative explosion suppression equipment throughout Systems 3 and 4 equipment and processes which are used in processing and pulverizing wood fibers and wood flour. This design practice is described in 2002 NFPA Standard 664, Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities. c)The product conveying system built in 2004 transferring wood flour product from System 1, 3 and 4 to the product storage silos and truck loading station built in 2004 was not equipped with explosion venting or an alternative explosion suppression system as required by the 2002 NFPA Standard 664, Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities.and Section 511.1.5 of the International Mechanical Code which is mandated by the State of Wisconsin Building Code. d)The employer failed to eliminate all ignition sources in the area during blowdown housekeeping activities in the System 1 building. Weekly compressed air cleaning of System I building generated dust clouds and the employer failed to eliminate sources of ignition (e.g., deenergize electrical systems throughout the System 1 building prior to blowdown). This hazard and corresponding practice for control are described in 2002 NFPA Standard 664, Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities. e)The employer failed to ground the housekeeping vacuum hose serving the Great Western sifter in process System 1. The existing housekeeping vacuum hose was attached to the metal duct with hose clamps which do not provide permanent grounding and bonding which is required to prevent static electric charge generation. This design practice is described in 2002 NFPA Standard 664, Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities. f)The employer failed to ground the housekeeping vacuum hose serving the surge tank in process System 1. The existing housekeeping vacuum hose was attached to the metal duct with hose clamps which do not provide permanent grounding and bonding which is required to prevent static electric charge generation. This design practice is described in 2002 NFPA Standard 664, Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities. g)System 1, including the building facility and size-reduction equipment, was not isolated nor otherwise separated by damage-limiting construction. When constructed in 1984, System 1 was designed as a component of the main building, with production and packaging on the west side and a raw materials warehouse on the east side, enclosing System 1 processes. Isolation of hazardous occupancy buildings design practice is described in the 2002 NFPA Standard 664, Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities. Feasible means of abatement include but are not limited to: *Design, construct, operate and maintain the wood flour process system and facility according to the current best practices by established safety, health and construction standards including the most recent version of: "NFPA 664, Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities "NFPA 69, Explosion Prevention Systems "NFPA 68, Venting of Deflagrations "International Mechanical Code, Section 511, Dust Conveying Systems, as mandated by Wisconsin of Commerce, Chapter Comm 14. *Assure appropriate installation and continued maintenance of installed systems by company personnel or contractors, including comprehensive training in the requirements of the referenced standards. Abatement Certification and Abatement Documentation required.